ABSTRACT
This paper proposes a new theory of joy as defined by the elation of right relation, i.e., an intense and temporary feeling of heightened positive emotion as a consequence of a just right fit between our identity and the moment we are experiencing. Diverse domains of joy are explored: emotional, social, cognitive, physical, communal, and ideological. Several ‘paradoxical’ forms of joy are also elucidated, including schadenfreude, self-denial, and ‘killjoy’ attempts to thwart the joy of others. Throughout the paper, promising research questions are presented. At the close of the paper, methodological issues in the investigation of joy are discussed. Researchers are encouraged to investigate joy among a wide range of groups – cultures, countries, ages, genders, and social classes.
Acknowledgments
I wish to thank the following people for their comments on earlier drafts of this paper: Michael Arnett, Miles Jensen Arnett, Lene Arnett Jensen, Paris Arnett Jensen, David Skeel, and Claudia Steinbrecher.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).